Poison Tree
by Tanooki Daisy
Summary: Waluigi's deepset hatred may grow into a dangerous thing, thanks to a mysterious woman who offers her assistance... rated for safety, mainly in anticipation of later chapters. R&R...
1. Prelude

This story's title was inspired by this poem, so I decided I might as well include it for you, in case you've never heard it before.

* * *

A Poison Tree

by William Blake

I was angry with my friend;  
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.  
I was angry with my foe:  
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I water'd it in fears,  
Night and morning with my tears:  
And I sunned it with smiles,  
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,  
Till it bore an apple bright.  
And my foe beheld it shine,  
And he knew that it was mine.

And into my garden stole.  
When the night had veiled the pole;  
In the morning glad I see,  
My foe outstretch'd beneath the tree.


	2. Chapter One

I'm sorry to tell you that just because I'm posting this doesn't mean I'm making any promises about updating it. Those of you who have read some of my story beginnings will already know that I'm the world's worst updater ever XP But I wanted to post it because I really like it so far and I'd like some feedback on it. What do you think? If you read, PLEASE REVIEW! Tell me how much you hated it, if that's the case. I don't care. Just tell me what you think -

Waluigi, piranha plants, and the Mushroom Kingdom are Nintendo's. The other character ish mine, so back off XD

* * *

It was a miserable day in the Mushroom Kingdom. The sun was shining merrily in a bright blue sky, puffy cotton clouds drifted lazily on a pleasantly cool breeze, and everywhere you went the sounds of young children playing and laughing could be heard. Now, I suppose you're wondering why I told you to begin with that it was a miserable day in the Mushroom Kingdom. Well, as far as one person was concerned, it was. He was happiest when it was rainy, gloomy and miserable out, and so when it wasn't, it put him in an even fouler mood than usual. 

Days like these, he would sit alone in the basement of his small, lopsided and gloomy looking house, glaring at various cobwebs and scowling at anything that moved. It didn't make him feel any better, but at least he didn't have to put up with everyone's obnoxious happy twittering outside in the sunshine. _That_ was enough to make him sick.

Today, he was sitting on a dust-covered crate, his long spindly legs crossed in front of him and his long bony arms resting on his legs so that his elbows stuck out, making him look eerily like a gigantic spider sitting in a particularly dusty cobweb. On the floor nearby was a large terra cotta flower pot, painted black because the reddish brown of it was too cheery for his tastes. It wasn't empty; in it a large tangled looking mass of dark green vines studded with dangerous looking thorns was curled, leaves folding in on the middle to cover up something large and round, which was rising and falling gently, as if it were breathing.

The man glowered at the wall opposite where he sat, wishing it would rain. Not like he expected the stars to grant his wish, but he wished for it anyway. A devilish smirk found its way onto his long, pale face as wicked thoughts crossed his mind. With any luck, it would storm really bad. There would be lightening and thunder, and the wind would moan through the trees and shingles like ghosts. Just thinking of how much it would freak out his 'old pal' made his smirk widen into a ghastly grimace of a smile. Anything for you, old pal, he thought coldly.

The idea crossed his mind to go upstairs and play darts with his homemade dart board- one with a photograph of his 'old pal' tacked over the bull's eye- but it quickly passed. Darts was only amusing for so long. Instead he leaned over the edge of the crate, reached down, and poked the twisted mass sprouting fom the pot. "Wake up," he said in a low, scratchy and somewhat nasally voice. "Come on, you lazy goodfornothing."

The vines writhed in the pot somewhat, and then the leaves unfolded from the center to reveal a fleshy red ball with large, white spots. At the base of its head, long, yellowish-green petals sprouted like a large ruffled collar. It raised up on a long vine like a snake rearing, turned sightlessly towards the man, and opened a gaping mouth lined with rows of razor-sharp teeth. It made a low gurgling deep in its throat, its hot fetid breath wafting out and filling the small dungeon-like room with a fresh stench. The man wrinkled his long, hooked red nose, but smiled anyway, his dull grey eyes softening somewhat. "That's right, girl. You know I don't mean it. Are you hungry?"

The plant gurgled again and stretched its leaves towards him. Thick saliva pooled between its many teeth and began to drip onto the floor with wet plops. Still smiling, he uncrossed his legs and stood up, stooped breifly to pick up the black-pained pot, and then in four abnormally long strides crossed the basement and started up the stairs.

It was still unnervingly sunshiny out, but now that his mind was occupied he didn't care as much. He walked through the living room, dining room and kitchen, not stopping until he reached the conservatory. It was a vast, two-stories high room on the corner of his house, its walls made entirely of thick glass plates. Despite the fact that it was always warm and often sunny in here, this was the man's favorite room; here was where he grew piranhas.

A few of the bolder plants stretched out their neck-like vines towards him as he passed, snapping viciously. At these he paused, scowled angrily, and smacked the offending plant squarely and sharply on the bulbous fleshy head, making it whimper and shrink back submissively. At last he came to the other end of the room, where several large containers stood waiting for him. In one very small one, crickets hopped and chirped, gleefully unaware of why they were there. Next to this were two large glass tanks; the first containing live mice, the second, live rats. There was also a freezer full of raw steaks for the biggest plants. He had, at one point, had a hutch full of rabbits, but some over-zealous piranhas had broken it apart. The next morning the man had found only a twisted metallic mess and a few tufts of white fur; the rabbits he never found.

Ignoring the other plants, he put down the pot and looked in at the rats and mice, a long dark eyebrow raised as he considered. He glanced down at the plant, which was now whining fretfully, and then opened the rat cage. He selected one of the smaller ones and skillfully grabbed it by the tail, lifting it effortlessly out as the panicked creatured writhed and squirmed, tryng to free itself. "Here you are, girl," he said, his cold voice laced with a tone of fondness.

The plant's mouth opened wider and it sucked in a long rattling breath. Then it turned its head blindly towards the rat, gurgling and drooling happily. The rat squealed, but it was too late; a second later the man was left with a limp bleeding fragment of a tail between his fingers, which he dropped in disgust. "Ugh! How many times have I told you to take the whole thing?" he said, frowning. The plant gurgled, thick red liquid dripping off its teeth and pooling in the bottom of its mouth. "You're such a messy eater," he grumbled, picking up the rat tail and quickly flinging it into the nearest dense growth of plants. There was an immediate loud commotion of thick snarls and groans as the piranhas fought for the small scrap, and he shook his head, grinning his ghoulish grin. "But I think they're even worse," he said, stooping to pick up the pot again.

"Very impressive," a voice said suddenly from behind him, almost causing him to drop the flowerpot. Cursing, he whirled around to face a strange woman, almost but not quite as tall and as thin as he was. She was dressed in a strapless red dress with dark green trim, and matching dark green elbow length gloves and low-heeled shoes. On her left middle finger was a silver ring with dark red and green gems set in it, accentuated with small diamonds. Her green eyes glinted mischeviously as she smirked, her ruby red lips parting to reveal even white teeth. The strange woman's face was lean and fair but not quite pale, and framed with shoulder-length wavy red hair.

The man glowered at her. "What do you want?" he snarled angrily. "How the hell did you get in my house? Get out, or-"

"Or what? You'll sick your piranhas on me? Don't make me laugh, Waluigi. I'm here to help you."

He eyed her suspiciously. "How?" he grunted at last.

Her smirk broadened into a devious smile. "By giving you what you've always wanted."

When after a few seconds she didn't explain, Waluigi's frown deepened. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The woman stepped closer, gazing shrewdly up into his dark eyes. "I'm sure you do. You can't tell me that there's nothing at all- nothing you want to have, or want to be rid of," she said seductively.

His eyes flashed. "What?" he said, his voice quiet and harsh.

"Yes. Admit it; you want him dead. Nothing brings you greater joy than to watch him suffer."

He blinked, severely taken aback. "I- I don't know what you're talking about," he said gruffly, but an image of his dart board flashed through his mind. With a dart stuck squarely between the photograph's eyes.

"You don't have to worry; I'm on your side. Like I said, I only want to help you."

His eyes narrowed, and he leaned in, his face inches from hers as he glared into her emerald eyes, suspicious. "Why?" he sneered.

"Because I know how you feel. We have a lot in common, you and I. For one, we appreciate powerful plants- not just roses and daisies." She paused for effect, and was pleased to see the tall man flinch at the mention of daisies. "And we're both living in shadow. There's someone that, somehow or another, is always better than you- I know how you loathe him. I know because I feel the same hatred, for another... Only with each other's help can we do anything about it."

Stroking the piranha's basketball-sized head absently, he grumbled "I don't see how you can help me." The plant made a deep throated purring noise and snapped its jaws contentedly.

The woman turned her head to look over her shoulder and called "Charles, come." Waluigi leaned to the side to see what Charles was, and was surprised to see a large piranha slithering along the paved grey walkway towards them. It didn't appear to have any roots; just a long, strong vine with a few smaller vines in front for guidance as it moved like eerily like a snake. The plant's head was, like most piranhas', large, round and red with white spots. It had thin, waxy white lips concealing rows of long fangs in front and small razor-like teeth in back.

The plant bellied its way across to the woman and then stopped and reared like a corbra preparing to strike, its short slender vines wriggling like worms. The woman reached down and placed a hand on its head, and it grinned. Waluigi glared at it for a moment, frowning, and then looked back up at the woman angrily. "This is it? Another plant?" he sneered, gesturing at Charles in annoyance. "You think having one more plant is going to help?"

The woman scowled. "Hold your tounge if you know what's good for you," she snapped. "Charles is the first of a new hybrid I've created. They're highly intelligent, obedient to whoever reared them, and very, very powerful. Watch," she said, and turned to the plant, who was already facing towards her expectantly. "Bring me a rat," she commanded. "Alive."

Waluigi, thinking the request had been directed to him, began to turn towards the tank, but Charles had beat him to it. The plant crawled up the table to where the large glass container sat, and reached towards the lid with its small vines. Deftly it undid the catch, and then with a sharp smack sent the lid flying. It raised its head, poised over the opening, and then opened its mouth. A long, red tongue whipped out and, before Waluigi had time to blink, the plant was crawling back to its master with a live rat in its mouth.

"So?" he sneered contemptuously. "I've got plants that can do that."

The woman didn't answer. She knealt by the plant, which obediantly dropped the soaked, terrified rodent into her gloved hand. Then she reached into a pocket of her dress and pulled out a small, shiny, red ball. She held it out, and the piranha immediately took it. Then the woman quickly stood and stepped back.

"What are you-" Waluigi began, but stopped. Charles was growling low in its throat, its whole body trembling violently. Its two short vines began to grow, and together with the first vine they suddenly speared down into the pavement, surprisingly breaking right through as though it were nothing more than a delicate eggshell. The remainder of the plant also began to swell at an alarming rate, and more thick, thorn-covered vines began to sprout from the cracks in the walk, twisting and writhing. The plant's now enormous head tipped back towards the ceiling, and it loosed an enormous ear-shattering roar.

Waluigi gawked at it in sheer amazement. It's head was mere feet from the high glass ceiling; vines spread from the wide fissure in the cement and stretched through the surrounding jungle of piranhas, creating an impenitrable barrier. It turned to look downwards, fangs as big as kitchen knives dripping acid-green venemous ooze. Then, its long, thick tongue shot out and snatched the rat from the woman's hand, tossed it into the air, and swallowed it whole. The small potted plant in Waluigi's arms shrank back, whimpering.

"Now what do you think?" the woman prompted, walking up to him with a triumphant grin on her face. "I don't suppose you have any plants in your little menagerie that can do that. Face it; I can help you."

He turned to face her, his cold eyes indecipherable. "Fine," he said at last. "Fine, I need you're help. But before we make any deals, you have to tell me something first."

"What?"

"Who are you?"

"My name is Venus."

* * *

Who is this strange woman? How does she know so much about Waluigi? Why does she really want to help him? What is that weird thing she fed the plant? Why am I asking you all these rhetorical questions? You may find out later... 


End file.
